55 of 57 people found the following review helpful:
Awesome Laptop / Great Value
After replacing my 8 year old Dell Laptop, I looked into this Vaio upon the recommendation of a few friends. I'm not a tech-guy by any stretch, just wanted a solid everyday home laptop with good memory for interent, Itunes, Quickbooks, Skype and some word processing (no gaming) and this laptop absolutely fit the bill! Solid construction, unique and appealing design...
40 of 46 people found the following review helpful:
Great computer but BEWARE
This is a great computer but before you buy you need to realize a few things:
(a) The Intel graphics media accelerator is not up to the quality of the rest of the computer nor is it close to graphics accelerator boards. If you play graphics intensive programs, beware!
(b) My unit was shipped without controlling software for the integrated camera and Sony...
After replacing my 8 year old Dell Laptop, I looked into this Vaio upon the recommendation of a few friends. I'm not a tech-guy by any stretch, just wanted a solid everyday home laptop with good memory for interent, Itunes, Quickbooks, Skype and some word processing (no gaming) and this laptop absolutely fit the bill! Solid construction, unique and appealing design (case texture is great, shows no fingerprints), comfortable, wide and spacious keyboard, lightning fast-start up and downloads, user-freindly, gorgeous Hi-Def screen, great for watching videos and DVD's, fast CD and DVD burner and an awesome camera for Skyping with friends and family. For the price (just a shy over $600) and complete with Windows 7, you can't beat it! Battery life is fine too. Unlike some complaints, mine gets just under 3 hours which suits my needs and also charges very fast. I've had freinds that have owned Vaio's years with little to no problems, and now glad to own one myself. If you're looking for a rock solid laptop with style and function, get this one. I'm happy I made this purchase, would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone!
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This review is from: Sony VAIO VGN-NW240F/S 15.5-Inch Silver Laptop (Windows 7 Home Premium) (Personal Computers)
This is my third Vaio laptop, and while this brand is pricier than its competition, I'm very happy with this computer (and its older sibs, both of which still work).
Physically, this isn't a tiny netbook. At 6 pounds, it's not something I'm going to be schlepping on airplanes, but that isn't what I bought it for. As always, the Vaio screen is lovely and bright, and widescreen. The ports seem to be well-placed. And the aesthetics are quite nice -- it's a brushed, fingerprint-resistant silver. It's really quite fast (no choking or hard drive whirring while loading programs, etc.) and it's extremely quiet. They keyboard took a little while to adapt to, but it's nice and roomy, with space between the keys. The touchpad works well, and the DVD drive is also smooth and quiet. The HDMI port works as it should with my LCD tv.
I haven't tested battery life as I don't plan to use this as an on-the-go machine.
I didn't know much of what to expect from Windows 7, and while this isn't a Windows 7 review, it works smoothly on this machine. Most of my Windows XP software works, with a few exceptions.
As usual, Sony packs in way too much preinstalled crap on their laptops, and I really wish they wouldn't, but I guess that's the price of buying a machine like this. I do wish they'd include a disc to let you install this stuff, rather than requiring that you uninstall it. Surprisingly though, Google Chrome is one of the preinstalled programs, so it is good to have a decent browser right out of the box. One thing Sony doesn't include much of at all is written documentation. Other than a tiny Getting Started booklet, all the documentation is on the machine itself.
Overall, I'm pleased with this computer so far. For the price, you are getting a near-desktop replacement that happens to be a laptop.
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The best thing about this laptop is that it "feels like a good computer." Nowadays the guts of a computer are standard enough, so it is the aesthetics now that differentiate.
The body is "textured", so fingerprints and smudges don't show up; it still looks like new. There is no "ten key" keypad on the keyboard, which means that the keys are spaced with just a bit more room to make typing more comfortable. The keys themselves have a solid feel, and no rattle or wiggle. The touchpad is also texturized, not too glassy.
The screen is bright and crisp, a joy for watching movies. The "one touch web access without booting up" feature is nice, so it can act like my iphone I suppose -- easy to quickly check email without having to power it all up.
I've used it while plugged in and on battery power, and it stays cool enough to rest on my bare legs.
The extra junk software about which others complain -- just wipe out and reinstall the operating system before using it; the free stuff won't re-appear.
Overall, its a good product. It is my second VAIO, my work laptop is a Dell, and I've had WINBOOK and HP in the past too. So far, SONY appears to consistenly make a good product that stands up to wear and tear. I would recommend this laptop to friends!!
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This is a great computer but before you buy you need to realize a few things:
(a) The Intel graphics media accelerator is not up to the quality of the rest of the computer nor is it close to graphics accelerator boards. If you play graphics intensive programs, beware!
(b) My unit was shipped without controlling software for the integrated camera and Sony technical support was not able to help, since Windows 7 would not allow installation of their controller software.
(c) Big BEWARE. This is a 64-bit system. If you have older programs that are 16-bit, or even if they are 32-bit but the installer is 16-bit, they will NOT run on your system. I ran into this problem with several programs that ran fine under 32-bit Vista. 16-bit progams do not run under 64-bit windows.
As I said, great computer so far but significant issues that any buyer needs to be aware of!!!
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A little bit of background before I sing the praises of my new laptop!
My 4-and-a-half-year old Toshiba XP laptop "died" last week, despite one or two "revivals." So the hunt for a new laptop was on. (I'm still trying to revive it, because it was working fine until it started into an endless cycle of safe mode and never opened. Need to find an XP system disc. Never had because software comes loaded.)
At a minimum, I wanted at least 3 USB ports, one HDMI and the "usual suspects" (4GB Ram, hard drive not all that important as I no longer want to keep ANYTHING on a system drive!) and card readers, CD/DVD drive (but that was optional if the unit was lite enough to use as netbook).
As someone who has had several Toshiba laptops that performed well and which I liked for their great screens and keyboards--and sound, I started with those models. I found one with generally strong reviews (except for a critical area), the 135-1310 (1309 retail version at best buy). I wanted to love it. It was heavy with features but lite in weight and size, enough so that one could use it as netbook.
But I had read the reviews and folks complained about the touchpad and the buttons. So, I headed to Best Buy for some on-site testing. Yea. All those folks? They were correct. I could not picture myself using it without going mad and getting carpal tunnel. (Yes you can use an external mouse but I don't want to buy something that doesn't work "as is"). Plus the thing was in this icky, shiny (glared in my eyes!), horrible material and style. (Young kids looking at it hated it, too!)
I had set a price point of around $599, slightly higher if it had bluetooth (but then you can always add for like $40 bucks via USB).
Checked gateway, HP and compaq laptops. Checked the Asus, althought they did not have the U30 models with long battery life. But from the models on floor, I wasn't in love with design or keyboards. So many options, but Too this, not enough that, etc. Or "Love it but WHOA, the price!) (Think City Girl and the dozens of computers). Finally, saw a Sony--this model VGN-NW240 (in the "brown" color).
Now, I've always lusted after them but deemed them too pricey for the features. However, after despairing of the other models, I tried the lowest priced one ($649--which was the lowest price anywhere, and $50 more than I was budgeting). I know, because you can go online at Best Buy and check prices elsewhere. Smart move best buy. Cause you ended up with a buyer and I almost ALWAYS order from Amazon or [...])
FYI: For $50 more, at $699 on Dec 2, you got it in the really great looking brushed aluminum (or whatever) silver, with a DVD that played Blue-Ray discs. Didn't need that and was not gonna spend $50 just to "look pretty" (Oh, it is sexy! Not as slim as those gorgeous Macs, but close enough.)
THe "Chiclet" keyboard rocked (I do a LOT of typing and though I have several external keyboards, I want a laptop that I can use on the fly "as is") and since it had the specs I wanted (including a great feature that has one-touch net access without booting up--Love it), and the strong, clean design (no more glaring, cheap, shiny black and metal!) paired with its features and price made it my new "love."
It's only been two days, but some initial comments.
* Sound: Not crazy about the sound quality. But I have external speakers and when I travel, I always have my own earbuds. So no real problem there.
* Loving Windows 7 so far, but still (despite a driver download) cannot get my Brother laser printer to work. Haven't loaded all my old software yet, but so far, for major stuff, no problems.
* I will never be a fan of having all the connections on the sides of a computer. Looks ugly (I have lots of stuff) but until/if I buy a docking unit, it's staying that way.
* HDMI and VGA connections. I don't even know if you can run two connections (VGA to an external monitor; HDMI to my LCD TV) simultaneously, BUT you don't have the option with this unit because you cannot physically plug in both at the same time. The VGA plug would overlap the HDMI. DOn't know if this is accidental or a true design flaw.
I just care that the HDMI runs (have to try it this weekend) as we watch a lot of stuff via online and having it stream to the TV...hey, it's one reason we bought this more expensive laptop. You can get almost all the same features, excluding HDMI, for about $150 less on other laptops.
I'm never gonna love the "brown" color, but it will really NOT show dirt or fingerprints. And the textured surface is great. (I'm kinda glad it isn't the sleeker finish as it might attract too much attention. THe kind you don't want.)
Can't speak to battery life yet, but I can say that although I've had a lot of experience with laptops, I had to spend several minutes to get the battery installed. Do this carefully folks, or you could damage it by forcing it. It's not as simple, easy to slip in as all my other laptops.
FYI: Although I had not owned a Sony, in checking the reliability rates, Sony was third (after Asus and Toshiba) in terms of % of repairs over three years.
Can't speak to their customer service quality as I haven't needed just yet. The setup was simple.
A CON to me:
* The guide is online only. No print version and really only a one-page basic "connection" bit.
And no system disks of any kind.
I'm old-fashioned. Give me some "hard" stuff straight up.
So far, great movie (via net) and CD on the screen. Need to test Netflix Instant Viewing next.
Overall, this is great value for the money with a strong brand.
And anyone who really types a lot, this IS the keyboard for you. Seriously.
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This review is from: Sony VAIO VGN-NW240F/S 15.5-Inch Silver Laptop (Windows 7 Home Premium) (Personal Computers)
Keys of the VAIO laptop started coming out within a few months of purchase. I called SONY helpline (1-800-4-VAIOPC) and they said they will send someone to repair onsite and asked me to fax the receipt. Next day someone called me back and told me to send it to their repair facility in San Diego. I did. Three days later, I got a call from the repair center and said that this repair is not covered and I have to pay $181 for the repair. I told them it should be covered under warranty. They refused and returned the laptop without repair.
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Let me start by saying I have owned and used multiple MacBooks and simply adore their style, usability, and reliability. I also use an iMac at work. That being said, it has become apparent that my aging eyes simply can't use a 13" screen anymore at home, so I needed to find a laptop with a larger screen. A 15" MacBook Pro for $1450 was way out of my price range, so I started looking at new laptops with Windows 7. This Sony quickly caught my eye with what appeared to be a great combination of excellent keyboard, terrific screen, good processor, adequate memory, and decent price, so I went with it.
My initial impressions are excellent. The Sony is notably faster than my old 13" MacBook, the extra screen size is really welcome, and the keyboard easy to type on. Windows 7 has also been a breath of fresh air, MUCH better than either XP or (uggh) Vista. I was extremely impressed that Windows 7 quickly found and loaded drivers for an old HP LaserJet, as easily at the Mac did. I am actually enjoying working on the Sony more than I do my iMac at school (I am a college professor).
Obviously, I don't have enough data after a week (hey, I told you I was a professor) to make any evaluations on reliability. However, the Sony appears well-made and solidly built, and PC World rates them pretty high with their surveys.
Bottom line is that for $400 less than a 13" MacBook and $600 less than a MacBook with an external monitor (my other alternative), I have a nice, fast, and highly usable laptop that I can use for my work. What more could I add?
One Month Update:
I have been using the Vaio for just over a month now and I am happy to report that my initial positive impressions have been confirmed and that only a couple of relatively minor issues have come up. Reliability has been excellent and I have installed and used multiple programs (Office, Endnote, SigmaPlot) without any glitches at all. I also extended the trial subscription for Norton Internet Security. The laptop is still quick, easy to use, and Windows 7 continues to impress.
The only (minor) criticism I have is the glossy screen, which is an occasional issue during daytime use in my home office. Shifting positions slightly solves that, but others here have found that more of a problem, Certainly something potential buyers should be aware of.
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We researched for 2 months before buying this. Great laptop. Sony did a great job with the design, looks and also the special "Web" button. This is so under-advertised! You do not have to fire up the slow Windows 7 to access the web! It is a 3rd party software which makes it so convenient for quick easy web access, after the initial setup. Wish more folks come up with products other than Microsoft! Not too impressed with Windows 7 so far, but can live with it. Google Chrome is the default web browser (after windows starts), okay but IE 8 works better for some websites. I'm having some issues with the Chrome web browser. Good screen resolution, clarity, decent battery life. Laptop does not get too hot! We love this sony laptop!! The other laptop we considered was a CW from sony. But this was great for the 15.6 screen and the price!!! Hope other manufacturers can make laptops as attractive as Sony and Apple!
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I actually bought this computer from a retail store on black friday (the price was worth the waiting!), but I'm posting a review because of how much I love this thing!
Pros:
FANTASTIC isolated keys keyboard makes for easy typing and a Mac feel.
Screen looks amazing, as do most VAIOs.
Windows 7
The overall design has a sort of woodgrain finish that gives a classy look and repels fingerprints.
DOES NOT OVERHEAT! This was a huge problem with my old compaq and is it a non-issue here even when playing a DVD.
There is a SD card reader on the front left of the track pad, which is convient.
Instant WEB option is sweet. Just press the web button when the computer is off and LITERALLY in 10 seconds you're online!
Great WIFI card.
Built in web cam
Cons:
Intel Graphics is not amazing, but HD videos played well and smooth
Battery life is about 2 1/2 hours with regular use
No designated volume buttom
What someone should have told me about this computer:
The track pad has tiny little raised bumps which give it some texture. Very different from most track pads, takes some getting used to but I have found I prefer it to a smooth pad.
Computer come loaded with SONY software which isn't that great or usefull. Good news is if you don't click on it, it doesn't show up very often.
In the end if you like the feel and class of a MAC but don't have 1,200 bucks (or need to run windows) this is a great computer!
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I recently purchased my Sony Vaio VGN-NW240 laptop and I'm happy to say I am very pleased with my purchase. The laptop is very fast, and easy to use. Right out of the bag, its already preloaded with windows 7, and Norton anti-virus 60 day trail. I decided not to use Norton because I have my own anti-virus software. The wireless option is great with this laptop, i find myself sitting on my couch all the time, no wires no worries. Excellent buy for the price, anyone looking at this laptop should know you'll be very pleased if you decided to purchase it. I know I am. I have no flaws, or complaints with this laptop. It does everything I ask it to do, and then some. Super fast, almost no load up time, just an all around great computer!!!
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